TO BE YOU | shawmila

one.

Camila had hoped she'd be able to fall asleep on the bus, but as sleepy as she was, whenever she laid her head against the window and closed her eyes, her mind would just race.

She tried for a moment, resting her head against the cool glass and closing her eyes, but the bus then went over a pothole and Camila banged her temple against the metal frame.

Camila winced, sitting up straight and rubbing her head. She took that chance to glance around and see if anyone noticed, as well as scope out who might be heading to Atlanta too.

They'd already had a layover, where some of the people got off and more got on, meaning now there was only about an hour left.

She looked back, seeing a young-looking guy with a duffle bag on the seat beside him. He was maybe college-age. Were they heading to the same place? Did he know Karla?

At the risk of ruining the plan before it even started, Camila turned back around to face the front, sinking down slightly in her seat so no one behind her could see her.

She then reached for her suitcase under the seat, once again yanking out the composition notebook Karla had given her.

Stapled inside the front cover was a brochure for Southern Pines Arts University. Camila opened the brochure and smiled softly as her eyes roamed over the map printed inside.

Pines had been Camila and her sister Karla's dream school since they were kids. Camila and Karla were identical twins and they had the same dream—to be famous singers, dancers, and actresses.

Camila remembered them being five back in Cuba and putting on various shows for their parents, draping themselves in their mother's dresses that went past their feet—even in her heels.

They took turns directing and choreographing one another, since they both had strong and willful spirits and always fought over who was in charge.

At seven, their parents told them they were going to America and Camila and Karla were delighted—after all, all the famous actresses and singers lived in America, in Hollywood.

Miami wasn't Hollywood, but the girls didn't mind. America had way more opportunities for their family. Their parents started their own business, Karla and Camila got to do as many extracurriculars at school as they wanted, and their parents even had another baby.

Sofia was born when Camila and Karla were ten, and they absolutely loved having a baby around. They always asked to hold her or push her stroller.

They even put Sofia in their shows. By the time Sofia was old enough to toddle around, Camila and Karla were teenagers and too embarrassed to dress up and dance and sing for their parents—so they became directors instead, making Sofia do it, singing songs Camila wrote and dancing in clothes that Karla picked out.

Everything was perfect, until their parents died.

Camila still remembered where she was—standing in the principal's office, her and Karla having both been pulled out of first-period math to be told the news. Her parents had gotten in a bad car accident on the way to work. Both were pronounced dead by the time the paramedics arrived.

Karla froze, her eyes wide and her face white as a sheet. She didn't move, she didn't breathe.

Camila screamed. She screamed until her throat was raw and her body gave out. When she collapsed, Karla caught her.

They only had each other now.

Those following months were a blur. For the second time in their lives, they had to leave everything they knew behind—but this time, it wasn't for greener pastures or a happier place.